Happy Earth Day, friends!

For us lucky New Yorkers who live in or visit Ulster County's bounty of natural splendor, it's easy to pay homage to nature's many gifts. 

An ever-changing natural landscape bursts forth here with each new season and even day. Not to brag, but just this week I have seen a fox, many hawks, voles, deer, a raccoon and all kinds of birds delighting in the flowering trees and earth. And farmers! I have happily seen many of those too, hands in the earth, grins on their faces. One cannot help but worry here for the impact of late snows on our crops, for example, or how one thing affects another.

No matter where and how you live, every single one of us can be even more mindful of our choices and actions and how they impact our incredible planet.    

• How do our food choices affect our bodies, our communities, our eco-systems both near and far?
• How do we show our gratitude for the earth's nourishing, teaching, healing, and inspiring ways?
• How can we walk softer on the planet to help co-create a softer and kinder world?

• Did you know that styrofoam takes 500 years to decompose?! We recycle every last bit of our packaging materials, including each box from every shipment. That also means making regular trips to the Marbletown Transfer Center for discarded bubble wrap and packing peanuts. It might not be the prettiest packaging, but it keeps styrofoam and plastics from sitting in landfills. 
• We choose to feature "Green" and Fair Trade products whenever possible that don't harm the planet, the artisans and workers that make them, their families and communities. These items are always handmade from organic and recycled materials without use of harsh chemicals, synthetic components or factory labor. 
• We purchase (AND GROW!!) local, organic and non-GMO foods to cast our vote on what is healthiest for all of us collectively, while supporting our local farmers. And when we purchase imported groceries we look for Fair Trade ones that help "farmers practice sustainable growing techniques and support them in learning new skills that will preserve their land for generations to come." We would be famished if it weren't for the High Falls Food Co-op & their incredible selection!
• We don't unnecessarily idle our cars (big pet peeve!).
• About 2/3 of all US landfills are composed of organic matter, so we compost our food scraps, cardboard boxes & egg cartons.
• We recycle as much printing paper as possible, and even trek over to SUNY New Paltz's printing labs on incognito missions to gather perfectly printable sheets from their trash.
• Did you know that "The amount of energy wasted by 75,000 average American homes in a single year is equal to the waste that occurred in the 2010 BP Oil Spill." That's why we set our AC to its "smart" settings that runs intermittently instead of full-force throughout the day (and only on days we absolutely need it!), turn off lights and unplug appliances when not in use.
• On average, Americans use 127% more water today than we did in 1950. That's why we don't run our sinks while brushing our chompers or between rinsing dishes. 
• We carry the work of many local artisans who use organic ingredients (think Mira's Naturals & Captain Blankenship) and promote the same values (like Sunbeam Candles).
• We carpool to work whenever possible.
• We teach our kids to be thoughtful of water consumption and our limited natural resources.
• We try our darndest to hold off on those unnecessary phone upgrades and properly recycle our old devices when we do. "There are nearly two cell phones in existence for every three people on earth." This is largely due to the fact that most users upgrade their phones after just one year, long before the five year average lifespan expires.

From Treehugger.com, an important excerpt about cell phone impact: 

"The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a source, albeit a small one, for conflict minerals that end up in our electronics. While some companies, such as Nokia, have shown their resolve in never using conflict minerals in their products, other companies have yet to be so transparent. Eve Ensler isn't sitting back about it. Not only are the minerals gathered through abusive means and slave labor, they're also gathered where rape is used as a weapon of war over the mines. The minerals, such as columbite tantalite or coltan are essential to the function of our gadgets. It's bad enough we have major issues with recycling these devices without harming people. It's even worse when we really examine the harm that can go into making them. Ensler's talk is a wake up call that we have to be equally diligent about the sources of our gadgets as we are about their disposal."

• "What electricity we don’t make, we buy from companies producing electricity from 100% renewable resources such as wind power and biomass generation. So, all the energy we use at Sunbeam Candles is renewable, guaranteed!"
• They pledge "Carbon Neutral Shipping": "We are contributing to offset the climactic impact of the delivery of each of our packages. UPS invests in reforestation and other projects that reduce the carbon level in the atmosphere and base their investments  on how much carbon is actually released in the delivery process for each shipment.  This essentially offsets the environmental impact of shipping with Sunbeam Candles. Please go to: www.carbonneutral.com/page/ups to learn more. There is no extra cost to you." 
• On composting: "We compost all organic waste in a homemade bin system outside the shop. The compost is used to grow food and nourish flowers in the gardens around the candle shop."